Despite Monday night’s 4-1 reverse in the midlands, the Surrey Sports Park-based side still look good bets to make the play-offs but will have to wait until their final match – at home to Birmingham Lions on April 27 – to be sure.

They only managed a single point, which came through the ladies doubles pairing of Emily Westwood and Eefje Muskens.

They beat Carissa Turner and Ellen Mahenthiralimgham in four sets to level the tie after Carl Baxter had been beaten in five by Kieran Merilees.

Dutch star Soraya de Visch Eijbergen fought back from two sets down to claim the third against world top 40 opponent Olga Konon and spied another giantkilling only for the Nottingham star to secure the fourth.

It looked good for Smashers in the fourth match as Chris Langridge and Dean George won a tense first set against Chris Adcock and Robert Blair.

But losing a powerplay in the second levelled matters and the home pair cruised it from there while the mixed doubles also proved a disappointment as Nottingham wrapped up the encounter.